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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. Philadelphia Union: Player Grades and Man of the Match

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4 years ago

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Well, that was a game to forget. Orlando City lost 1-0 to the Philadelphia Union on Saturday night, and while the Lions almost certainly should have had a chance to level things from the spot in extra time, the home team also failed to take advantage of several good chances and only has itself to blame for the final score.

Let’s take a look at how each Lion performed individually in the loss.

Starters

GK, Pedro Gallese, 6 — It was a quiet night in net for Pedro. He wasn’t actually credited with any saves, although I think the corner that he punched away was going in if he didn’t touch it. He passed with 96% accuracy, including two completed long balls, and also completed one dribble way out of his box as time was winding down. He was helpless to do anything about Gazdag’s goal and can probably feel a little aggrieved that the offside call was overturned.

D, Joao Moutinho, 7 (MotM) — It was great to have Moutinho back and he did a little bit of everything out there. Defensively he had a team-high five tackles, a game-high four aerial duels won, one clearance, completed both dribbles he attempted, and completed 80% of his passes with two successful long balls. Oh and he also had a team-high 83 touches. The Lions have missed his presence both at the back and going forward, and it was nice to see him back out there. His only blemish on the night came when he picked up a needless yellow card for kicking the ball away after a foul call went Philadelphia’s way.

D, Robin Jansson, 6.5 — The Swede had a typically good performance in this one. He had two tackles, four interceptions, drew a foul, caught his man offside twice, and completed a dribble — all while passing with 96% accuracy and completing seven long balls. On more than one occasion he flashed his recovery speed to snuff out dangerous balls attempted behind the Lions’ back line, and it’s a credit to him and the rest of the defense that Philadelphia’s only good chance of the night didn’t come from open play.

D, Rodrigo Schlegel, 6.5 — Like his counterpart at center back, Schlegel also had a good game. Defensively he won three aerial duels, made three tackles, and recorded four clearances and a block. Offensively, he took one shot and drew a lone foul while passing at a 92% rate and completing three long balls. He seems to grow a little more with every game he plays, and it was really nice to see how vocal he was with his teammates after several worrying passages of play.

D, Ruan, 5 — Ruan had a quiet night. Defensively, his only stat on the night was one clearance, and his most noticeable moment on defense was failing to step up in time, which kept Daniel Gazdag onside to score the game’s only goal. While he’s not really out there for his defending, and shouldn’t be marking the opponent’s top scorer on set pieces, he didn’t generate anything on offense either, although he did pass at a 91% rate. Unfortunately, most of the passes he didn’t complete were important ones in the final third. He got into good areas out wide on more than one occasion, but none of his balls into the box found a teammate, and his lack of accuracy on crossing has become a real problem. Teams have figured out that they just need to stand off him and not let him dribble past them, and they’ll probably be fine.

MF, Andres Perea, 6 — It was a better game for Perea than some he’s had in recent weeks. He passed with 86% accuracy, including a key pass and two long balls, and had one tackle, two interceptions, and two blocks, while his lone shot of the night was blocked. He was dispossessed once but was generally pretty good in possession and helped drive the team forward when the ball came to him.

MF, Cesar Araujo, 6.5 — Like a lot of guys whose main job is to defend, Araujo had a pretty good game. He was the best passer on the night with a 97% completion rate, and he had four long balls as well. He also had two tackles, an interception, drew a foul, won an aerial duel, and took two shots, one of which left Andre Blake massaging his wrist it was hit so venomously. His main blemish on the night was the one foul he committed, for which he also received a yellow card. Outside of the raw numbers, he had a couple very good passages of play to help Orlando break Philadelphia’s press and one very bad moment where he was far too slow picking up Julian Carranza on a corner, with Orlando very fortunate not to pay the price for it. He also made a mistake near midfield that Carranza tried to turn into a golazo but missed the target with Gallese pulled out. His long throw-in created a scoring chance that Torres missed wide. He did much more good than bad and continues to look like an excellent find.

MF, Mauricio Pereyra, 5.5 — Like the rest of Orlando’s attacking players it wasn’t a great night for him. His passing accuracy of 83% wasn’t his best, although he did register a key pass and a long ball. He also took one shot which was volleyed over, drew three fouls, and had two instances where his control let him down — one of which killed a promising attack very early in the game. He also chipped in one tackle defensively. The Orlando attack as a whole hasn’t looked very good in recent weeks and unfortunately that was the case for much of tonight. There were several instances where Orlando’s captain maybe should have shot but opted for a pass instead, although he wasn’t the only one guilty of that crime.

MF, Jake Mulraney, 4.5 — Getting the start out wide on the left, it was a difficult outing for Mulraney. Just several minutes into the game he had a bad giveaway in Orlando’s midfield that the Lions were very fortunate to not have punished. Worse though, was when he had trouble corralling the ball on the edge of the Philadelphia box following a turnover that Pereyra forced, with the giveaway torpedoing a great chance for the Lions. Outside of that, he passed with 75% accuracy, made a tackle, was dispossessed once and caught offside once. His effort can’t be questioned but it wasn’t a good performance and it was unsurprising to see him come off at halftime.

MF, Facundo Torres, 5.5 — Torres did some good things on the night. He had two key passes, completed two dribbles, drew a foul, and passed with 91% accuracy while completing three long balls and a cross. He also wasn’t afraid to shoot, registering five attempts on the night. Less good was the fact that he also missed OCSC’s best chance of the night in the first half after doing well to cut back on his defender and get the ball on his left foot. Speaking of his left foot, the other thing that’s becoming apparent is that he’s extremely one-footed. Teams have picked up on his lack of confidence with his right and do everything they can to show him away from his left. He was also dispossessed once and had three unstable touches in a frustrating night for the Lions on offense.

F, Ercan Kara, 5 — It was a very tough night for Orlando’s big Austrian striker. He was extremely isolated for the 89 minutes that he was on the field, with little to no service to speak of. His stats for the night speak to that as he finished with a meager 21 touches in almost a full game’s worth of action. He did have a clearance and a block while also passing with 77% accuracy and completing two key passes. His flick on for Pereyra from a long ball by Gallese set up Torres’ golden chance in the first half. He committed one foul which he received a yellow card for, and was also dispossessed twice and had three unstable touches, which hurts more considering how little he saw of the ball. He and the rest of Orlando’s offense need to figure out how to get him more involved.

Substitutes

MF, Benji Michel (45’), 5.5 — Benji got pretty involved in his half on the pitch and did some good stuff, such as recording three key passes, while distributing the ball with 91% accuracy, completing a cross, and drawing a foul. Some of the less good things were getting dispossessed three times, having two unstable touches, and committing two fouls. He had a better outing than the man he replaced, but with his speed it would be nice to see him try to take on his man 1-v-1 a bit more often.

MF, Alexandre Pato (61’), 5 — Pato wasn’t able to make much of an impact in his half hour on the field. His passing rate of 60% left a bit to be desired, although he did complete a long ball. Outside of that, he drew two fouls and committed one, while he hit his lone shot of the night wildly off target. He has not looked as dangerous after a good start to the season, and while it can be tough to get involved in the game as a substitute, he currently isn’t making a good enough case to start either.

MF, Junior Urso (75’), 5.5 — Upon entering the match, Urso did what he does and worked his butt off. The Bear completed a long ball while passing with 93% accuracy. He also completed a dribble and drew a foul. Unfortunately, his hard work didn’t have much of an impact on proceedings, although he was asked to play a more creative role than he’s used to with Pereyra exiting the field in his place. He’ll likely need a stitch or two after a clash of heads opened up his forehead mere moments after coming on.

F, Tesho Akindele (75’), 5.5 — Tesho flashed some good hold-up play in his time on the field, which is a strong suit of his. He only completed 50% of his passes, but also notched an interception and won an aerial duel. He had a chance to equalize for the Lions but couldn’t get over top of the ball with his header and it sailed over the bar. It wasn’t the easiest chance with a softly floating cross and a Philly player doing well to put him off, but he’ll have wanted to do better with it. He was also dispossessed once and was ultimately unable to spark Orlando’s sputtering offense.

D, Antonio Carlos (81’), N/A — Brought on for Joao Moutinho, AC won a pair of aerial duels, passed at a 71% clip with a completed long ball and committed two fouls while recording one unstable touch. He was the player pulled down by Gazdag in the box in stoppage time and might have had a chance at goal on the cross if not for the foul, but that’s not the way the referee saw it. It’s been good to see him back on the field, and if nothing else he got some minutes to help build his fitness.

F, Jack Lynn (89’), N/A — Lynn came on for Ercan Kara but was unable to get meaningfully involved in the game. He did have a great cushioned touch out of the air to help build an Orlando attack, but didn’t do much outside of that. Still, given Orlando’s woes up front it might be worth giving him some extended time on the field to see if he can help spark something.

That’s ultimately how I saw the individual performances in this one. You’ll notice that defenders and defensive oriented players tended to score higher than the offensive guys, and that’s because other than a couple lapses during set pieces, the defense played very well. The same cannot be said for the other end of the field. Let us know your thoughts in the comments and be sure to vote for your Man of the Match below.

Polling Closed

PlayerVotes
Robin Jansson6
Rodrigo Schlegel2
Joao Moutinho13
Cesar Araujo10
Someone else (Tell us who in the comments)1

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Orlando City

Orlando City vs. New York City FC: Preview, How to Watch, TV Info, Live Stream, Lineups, Match Thread, and More

The Lions welcome the Pigeons to Orlando in another big game with playoff implications.

Published

12 hours ago

on

October 24, 2026

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Image of David Brekalo
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Welcome to your match thread and preview for a Saturday night matchup between Orlando City (12-13-5, 41 points) and New York City FC (8-12-10, 34 points) at Inter.co Stadium (7:30 p.m., Apple TV). This is the second of the two scheduled meetings between the Lions and Pigeons this season.

Here is what you need to know ahead of the match.

History

The Lions are 7-12-8 in 26 meetings with NYCFC in the all-time series in MLS play and 7-12-10 on their home grounds in all competitions, including one playoff match and one U.S. Open Cup meeting (remember, games that go to penalty shootouts in knockout competitions officially count as draws). Orlando is 4-3-6 at home in regular-season games in the all-time series, 5-3-6 in all regular-season matches in the greater Orlando area when factoring in the win in the group stage of the MLS is Back Tournament in 2020, and 5-3-8 in home games in all competitions against NYCFC. Things have trended the Pigeons’ way the last few years, as the Lions are 0-6-2 in the last eight meetings between the teams.

The Lions and Pigeons last met at Yankee Stadium on March 7 and it was a nightmare for OCSC fans. Maxime Crepeau was sent off early and New York City FC bludgeoned 10-man Orlando 5-0 in Oscar Pareja’s last match in charge of the Lions. Agustin Ojeda, Nicolas Fernandez Mercau, Maxi Moralez (penalty), and Keaton Parks (two goals) did the offensive damage.

The teams met twice last year and NYCFC swept the season series. Orlando City blew a late 1-0 lead at home on July 16, 2025, through Robin Jansson’s goal. But Rodrigo Schlegel smashed a clearance attempt off Kyle Smith and into his own net just a few minutes before the end of normal time, tying the game. Alonso Martinez scored the winner on a counterattack in stoppage time to end the game 2-1 in favor of the visitors.

In Orlando City’s first road game of the 2025 season, the Lions fell 2-1 at Yankee Stadium on March 8. Martinez opened the scoring in the second half, with Luis Muriel equalizing. However, just two minutes after Muriel’s goal, Hannes Wolf scored what turned out to be the game winner.

In Orlando on July 20, 2024, the two 2015 expansion rivals played to a 1-1 draw. Ramiro Enrique and Wolf traded goals five minutes apart in the second half to account for all the scoring. The Lions and Pigeons met at Yankee Stadium on June 28 of that season, with New York City FC winning 4-2. An early Santiago Rodriguez goal opened the scoring and then things went horribly wrong when an obviously offside Malachi Jones collided hard with Orlando goalkeeper Mason Stajduhar. Both players left the game and both had season-ending surgery to repair broken tibias and fibulas. Javier Otero made his MLS debut in goal off the bench and the Lions allowed two goals in first-half stoppage time to let a close game get out of hand. Orlando pulled two goals back through Dagur Dan Thorhallsson and Duncan McGuire, but Mounsef Bakrar sealed the game late for NYCFC.

The teams met at Citi Field — a different baseball stadium than NYCFC’s usual one — on Sept. 20, 2023. The Pigeons were rude hosts, winning 2-0 on goals by Bakrar and Talles Magno. It snapped Orlando’s five-game unbeaten run but the Lions clinched a playoff spot that day anyway due to other results around the league. These teams also met in Orlando on May 17, and with the Lions poised for a 1-0 win, NYCFC eked out a late 1-1 draw with a Gabriel Segal goal at the end of normal time. Ercan Kara scored for Orlando City.

The teams faced off at Red Bull Arena (one of NYCFC’s many homes away from home) on Oct. 2, 2022, with the Pigeons erasing a 1-0 halftime deficit that Facundo Torres provided. The “hosts” got second-half goals from Alex Callens and Magno to complete the comeback and win 2-1. Earlier in the year at Exploria Stadium, the Lions got a Tesho Akindele goal at the death, stunning NYCFC as Orlando City won 2-1 on Aug. 28, 2022. Junior Urso and Moralez had scored early in the first and second half, respectively.

Orlando City had a five-game unbeaten streak in the series (1-0-4) absolutely demolished on July 25, 2021 in a 5-0 loss at Yankee Stadium. The Lions started a makeshift lineup and it showed, as the Pigeons got goals from Jesus Medina, Ismael Tajouri-Shradi, Moralez, Malte Amundsen, and Valentin Castellanos. Why the makeshift lineup? That match was sandwiched between home games against Philadelphia and Atlanta, with quick turnarounds for each. The strategy was sound, as Orlando won the other two games in that nine-day span.

The teams met in Orlando on May 8, 2021 and drew 1-1. Nani smashed a golazo in the second half to put the Lions on top, but Joao Moutinho fouled Tajouri-Shradi in the box and Castellanos equalized from the spot.

The last meeting of the 2020 season happened in the postseason and things got weird. Orlando City ultimately prevailed in penalties after a 1-1 postseason draw on Nov. 21, 2020. Nani put Orlando ahead from the penalty spot, only to see Maxime Chanot equalize on a set piece. Extra time couldn’t settle it, so to penalties we went, and the Lions advanced thanks to a save by Schlegel — after goalkeeper Pedro Gallese was sent off with a second yellow for coming off his line early. Benji Michel’s blast was the difference in the shootout. (Seriously, just click the above link in this paragraph and relive that madness.)

The Lions and Pigeons wrapped the 2020 season series on Oct. 14 at Exploria Stadium, playing to a 1-1 draw. Chris Mueller opened the scoring but Parks equalized just before halftime. The first meeting of 2020 also took place in Central Florida in the MLS is Back Tournament on July 14, when Mueller’s brace and a late Akindele insurance goal led Orlando to a 3-1 win. Medina scored for NYCFC. That win snapped Orlando City’s 0-4-3 streak in the previous seven competitive meetings with the Pigeons. The last match in that winless streak against NYCFC was a 1-1 draw, with the Lions then dispatching NYCFC from the U.S. Open Cup in a penalty shootout on July 10, 2019. That night has been immortalized for the running of The Wall and Adam Grinwis’ heroics in goal.

The teams drew both regular-season meetings in 2019, 1-1 on April 27 at Yankee Stadium, and 2-2 on opening day at Exploria Stadium. NYCFC took all three meetings in a dismal 2018 season series. The Lions went 2-1-0 against New York City FC in 2017, including a win to christen the stadium now known as Exploria with Cyle Larin scoring the only goal in a 1-0 OCSC win. Orlando was 3-1-2 in 2015 and 2016 in the first six meetings with NYCFC.

Overview

Orlando City is coming off a 4-1 demolition of D.C. United a week ago, with Antoine Griezmann leading the way with two goals and an assist. Martin Ojeda scored that goal and also picked up an assist, with Marco Pasalic giving Orlando a hat trick of Designated Player goal scorers on the night. Despite the Lions’ being just four goals from tying the club’s single-season record for goals conceded (74 in 2018), they find themselves above the playoff line in seventh place with just four matches remaining. That is the final guaranteed first-round spot, with eighth and ninth places going to a single-elimination Wild Card match. Orlando can greatly improve its chances of finishing in the postseason places with a win tonight, as a difficult two-game road trip lies ahead next. Orlando is 9-4-2 at home this season and has won five consecutive matches in the purple palace.

New York City FC is coming off a 1-1 home draw against LAFC last weekend, but the Pigeons are winless in five (0-3-2), owing some of that to key injuries. Orlando’s 2015 expansion rivals will come in desperate to get a result to improve on a decent 4-6-5 road record in 2026. The team has the same exact record at home despite clobbering the Lions back in March, but every point is precious and the Pigeons are getting some bodies back.

The Lions must try to keep Fernandez Mercau under wraps. The Argentine midfielder paces the Pigeons with 15 goals and nine assists on the year, but Wolf and Agustin Ojeda have given Orlando fits in previous meetings as well. Wolf is second on NYCFC in goals (6) and has added three assists, while New York’s Ojeda has scored five times and leads the team in assists (11). Meanwhile, NYCFC has a stout defense that has allowed just 41 goals this season, which is tied with New England for second fewest allowed in the Eastern Conference. USMNT goalkeeper Matt Freese is one of the reasons for that, but NYCFC has a good group at the back in front of him.

Orlando City will be without Griffin Dorsey (back), Jansson (foot), Tyrese Spicer (foot), and Luis Otavio (suspension), while Vinicius Nogueira (shoulder) and Bernardo Rhein (lower leg) are listed as questionable. NYCFC will be without Moralez (leg), Parks (leg), Drew Baiera (leg), Arnau Farnos (leg), and Kai Trewin (yep, leg).

Match Content

Official Lineups

Orlando City (4-4-2)

Goalkeeper: Maxime Crepeau.

Defenders: Vinicius Nogueira, Iago, David Brekalo, Ivan Angulo.

Midfielders: Eduard Atuesta, Wilder Cartagena, Braian Ojeda, Justin Ellis.

Forwards: Martin Ojeda, Antoine Griezmann.

Bench: Javier Otero, Adrian Marin, Bernardo Rhein, Zakaria Taifi, Nolan Miller, Joran Gerbet, Harvey Sarajian, Marco Pasalic, Daryl Dike.

New York City FC (4-3-3)

Goalkeeper: Matt Freese.

Defenders: Kevin O’Toole, James Sands, Thiago Martins, Tayvon Gray.

Midfielders: Andres Perea, Nicolas Fernández Mercau, Aiden O’Neill.

Forwards: Hannes Wolf, Alonso Martinez, Agustin Ojeda.

Bench: Tomas Romero, Nico Cavallo, Matt Miazga, Benie Traore, Talles Magno, Luighi, Jonathan Shore, Raul Gustavo, Malachi Jones.

Referees:

REF: Elijio Arreguin.
AR1: Cory Richardson.
AR2: Adam Wienckowski.
4TH: Igor Bych.
VAR: Kevin Stott.
AVAR: Robert Schaap.

How to Watch

Match Time: 7:30 p.m.

Venue: Inter.co Stadium — Orlando.

TV/Live Stream: Apple TV.

Radio: AM 810 FOX Sports Radio Orlando (English), Mega 97.1 FM (Spanish), Nossa Rádio 1160 AM-WRLZ (Portuguese).

Social: For rapid reaction and live updates, follow us on Bluesky Social at @themaneland.bsky.social or follow Orlando City’s official Twitter (@OrlandoCitySC) or Bluesky (@OrlandoCitySC) feed.

Enjoy the match. Go City!

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Orlando City

Intelligence Report: Orlando City vs. New York City FC

Get up to speed on the Pigeons ahead of Saturday’s game, courtesy of someone who knows them best.

Published

1 day ago

on

October 23, 2026

By

Image of Braian Ojeda playing against New York City FC.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Friday, everyone. Orlando City got a week of rest after taking care of business against D.C. United at home, and it returns to the purple palace Saturday night to face a New York City FC team with its back against the wall in the race for a playoff place.

A showdown with the Pigeons means I caught up with Matthew Mangam of New York Soccer Journal. As always, he was helpful in getting us up to speed on NYCFC, and we appreciate his help. I also answered some of his questions about Orlando City, so make sure you check them out over at their place!

Talk me through NYCFC’s summer transfer business. Who’s out, who’s in to replace them, and how have they performed?

Matthew Mangam: NYCFC’s summer business wasn’t anything groundbreaking. The club brought in striker Luighi on loan from SE Palmeiras and got back midfielder/defender James Sands, whose loan with St. Pauli ended. 

Luighi started off well, bagging four goals in his first seven league appearances. But since then, the 20-year-old is on a five-game drought. To his credit, Luighi started only two of his last five games. As for Sands, this is his third stint at NYCFC, so the versatile 26-year-old was welcomed back with open arms. 

The biggest acquisition this summer, though, was Bénie Traoré. The winger joined the club as a Designated Player from FC Basel in Switzerland, but it hasn’t gone well. In 15 league appearances, Traoré has one goal — a penalty kick that hit off the post and went in — and no assists. 

The club’s last move that didn’t happen in the summer surprised everyone: adding free agent Matt Miazga. The veteran defender hasn’t made his debut yet, and I’m honestly not sure when he will. 

New York City has been a wildly different team since the league restarted after the World Cup. What’s happened to cause the change in form?

MM: I honestly don’t know where to start with this one. There’s so much I could say, but if I did then I’d be here all day. I’ll narrow it down to this: NYCFC can’t play a complete 90 minutes. 

NYCFC has conceded six goals in stoppage time this season, is 0-4-12 after falling behind 16 times, and is 4-5-6 at home. So, they can’t hang onto leads — they’ve lost seven points after the 75th minute — they have no come-from-behind wins, and they’re poor at home. 

There are other smaller factors, like injuries, individual mistakes from usually solid players (Matt Freese and Sands), and players struggling, but, as I said, it’s a lot.

The playoffs are still in reach, as NYCFC is just two points out of eighth. What needs to happen in order to get above the line and stay there?

MM: Simply put, NYCFC needs to win all four remaining games, or, at the very least, go 3-1-0. Teams around them, like Toronto, Columbus, and Cincinnati, are picking up wins and building separation, so NYCFC is in a do-or-die situation. 

Getting Alonso Martínez back and starting again is huge, but you can’t expect him to return from a brutal injury and save the team immediately; it’s not fair. Traoré has to step up and show why the club paid DP money for him — one lone goal that, in my opinion, fortunately went in, and no goals from open play is extremely concerning. 

Also, Nico Fernández Mercau hasn’t scored in five matches. He’s getting double- and triple-marked because teams are now well aware of how talented the Argentine is, but he has to find a way back on the scoresheet in this stretch. NYCFC needs him to. So, so badly. 

Will any players be unavailable due to injury, suspension, etc.? What is your projected starting lineup and score prediction?

MM: The only players out are the ones with long-term injuries: Keaton Parks, Kai Trewin, Maxi Moralez, Arnau Farnós, and Drew Baiera. 

Given that NYCFC needs to win or the season is practically over, I expect Head Coach Pascal Jansen to leave it all out there with his best possible lineup:

Matt Freese; Kevin O’Toole, James Sands, Thiago Martins, Tayvon Gray; Andres Perea, Aiden O’Neill; Hannes Wolf, Nico Fernández Mercau, Agustin Ojeda; Alonso Martínez.

I think Nico Fernández Mercau and Alonso Martínez score, but it won’t be enough, as Antoine Griezmann gets a brace and both teams settle for a 2-2 draw. 

Thank you to Matt for his excellent refresher on NYCFC. Vamos Orlando!

Image of the famous "The more you know" graphic from TV.
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Lion Links

Lion Links: 10/23/26

Orlando City prepares for New York City FC, Antoine Griezmann’s impact in Orlando, U.S. will host FIFA Women’s Club World Cup, and more.

Published

2 days ago

on

October 23, 2026

By

Image of Antoine Griezmann taking a set piece against Monterrey in Leagues Cup action.
Image courtesy of Orlando City SC / Mark Thor

Happy Friday, Mane Landers! It’s been a pretty nice week for me, as I was able to watch all of Slow Horses and finish reading Bad Words by Rioghnach Robinson, both of which were brilliant. Attention now turns to this weekend’s soccer, with both Orlando City and the Orlando Pride playing at home over the next couple of days. Let’s get to the links!

Orlando City Prepares for New York City FC

The Lions host New York City FC on Saturday in one of the marquee matchups in MLS as the regular season nears its conclusion. Plenty has changed since Orlando’s 5-0 loss to NYCFC on March 7. The Lions have clawed their way up the table while the Pigeons have only won once in their past 13 league games. NYCFC enters this match after a 1-1 draw with LAFC that included an equalizer by former Lion Andres Perea to give the team a valuable point amid the playoff race. Nicolas Fernandez Mercau, Luighi, and Benie Traore are all NYCFC players the Lions will need to keep in check, or else it could end up being another high-scoring affair in the City Beautiful.

Antoine Griezmann’s Impact on Orlando’s Offense

Orlando’s wait for Antoine Griezmann to join in the summer has proven to be well worth it, as he’s transformed Orlando’s attack into a force to be reckoned with just as the playoffs near. Although Griezmann wasn’t able to enjoy a fairytale ending with Atletico Madrid by lifting the Copa del Rey or Champions League trophies this year, he’s breathed life into an Orlando side that struggled mightily prior to his arrival. The 35-year-old has recorded 12 goals and seven assists in just 14 appearances this season. Not only has he excelled when it comes to getting the ball in the net, but he’s done well in terms of defensive metrics and intangibles as well.

U.S. Will Host Women’s Club World Cup

The inaugural FIFA Women’s Club World Cup will be held in the U.S. in January of 2028 with the host cities still to be determined. There will be 19 clubs taking part, with Gotham, Arsenal, Barcelona, and Club America having already qualified along with three other teams so far. This tournament is sandwiched between the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil and the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, so there’s plenty of exciting women’s soccer to look forward to in the coming years.

U.S. U-17 Women’s National Team Wins at World Cup

The United States U-17 Women’s National Team won 6-1 against Kenya in the group stage of the FIA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco, clinching a spot in the round of 16. Maggie DiMaria scored four goals to bring her total to 10 across just two games. The U.S. will play its final group game on Sunday against China PR, which also won both of its games against Kenya and Samoa to secure a spot in the knockout stage. The winner of this group will get to avoid a match with Spain in the round of 16, so there’s still plenty to play for before the next round gets underway.

Free Kicks

  • The first leg of the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal between the United States Men’s National Team and Haiti has been moved from Kingston to Miami. Haiti has had to play games outside of the country due to unrest and submitted a request to Concacaf to play in the country of its opponent.
  • American center back Naomi Girma is now dealing with a calf injury that may sideline her for a few weeks according to Chelsea Head Coach Sonia Bompastor. She missed out on the team’s recent friendlies against Spain and may be absent for the Concacaf W Championship quarterfinal against El Salvador next month too.
  • The United States Women’s Cerebral Palsy National Team beat Ireland 15-0 to advance to the IFCPF Women’s World Cup final, which takes place today against Australia. Annie Wickett scored five goals with four other players scoring braces.
  • The San Diego Wave signed defender Mimi Van Zanten to a contract extension through the 2029 season. She’s made 27 appearances for San Diego during her rookie season, helping the club keep pace in the NWSL Shield race.
  • After being stretchered off the field due to a head injury in the U.S. Open Cup final, St. Louis City goalkeeper Roman Burki is alert and in good spirits, according to the club.

That’s all I have for you this time around. I hope you all have a fantastic Friday and rest of your weekend!

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